#758 First Responders - Joe Smarro

#758 First Responders - Joe Smarro

Author: Paul Gilmartin July 25, 2025 Duration: 1:51:56
Joe Smarro is a Marine Corps combat veteran who trains first responders on how to properly manage and de-escalate mental health crises. He talks about the path that led him to this work, why the current system is so broken–for both civilians and first responders–and what can be done to fix it. For more about Joe: www.JoeSmarro.com www.Instagram.com/JoeSmarro If you’re interested in seeing or buying the furniture that Paul designs and makes follow his IG @ShapedFurniture or visit the website www.shapedfurniture.com    WAYS TO HELP THE MIHH PODCAST Subscribe via Apple Podcasts (or whatever player you use). It costs nothing. It’s extremely helpful to have your subscription set to download all episodes automatically. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2 Spread the word via social media.  It costs nothing. Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.Facebook.com/mentalpod and our Twitter and Instagram are both @Mentalpod  Become a much-needed Patreon monthly-donor (with occasional rewards) for as little as $1/month at www.Patreon.com/mentalpod    Become a one-time or monthly donor via PayPal at https://mentalpod.com/donate You can also donate via Zelle (make payment to mentalpod@gmail.com)  To donate via Venmo make payment to @Mentalpod  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosted by comedian Paul Gilmartin, Mental Illness Happy Hour has become a unique and essential space for conversations many shy away from. This isn't a clinical program, but rather a series of raw, honest dialogues where Gilmartin and his guests share their personal experiences with mental health struggles, addiction, fear, and the lasting impacts of childhood trauma. The atmosphere is intentionally crafted to be a perversely safe place, a description noted by The New York Times, where vulnerability is met with compassion rather than judgment. Listeners will find a podcast that deliberately explores the grey areas of human experience, with Slate Magazine highlighting Gilmartin's conscious effort to share stories that aren't simply black and white. It’s this approach that has led publications like Psychology Today to call it "remarkable" and Esquire to deem it a vital gem addressing a deep need. Tuning in, you'll hear a blend of personal narrative, dark humor, and profound connection that has earned the show a global audience and recognition as a top health podcast. Each episode serves as a reminder that you're not alone in your struggles, creating a sense of community through shared, often unvarnished truth.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Mental Illness Happy Hour
Podcast Episodes
#803 Treating Predators & Infidelity - Dr. Monique Thompson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:44:04
Dr. Monique Thompson is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who helps couples heal from infidelity. She also has significant experience with treating predatory sexual behavior. She offers her insights on how people c…
#802 Bipolar, Vices & Psych Wards - Emily LoMenzo Washcovick [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:11
Fellow Midwesterner opens up to Paul about her battles with BiPolar including a hospitalization, and her struggles with vices. More about Emily: Her show - Success, Rewritten can be found on any podcast platform + YouTub…
#801 Rewiring Negative Self-Talk - Thais Gibson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:47:50
Thais Gibson is a best-selling author, counselor, and the founder of Personal Development School, an online collection of courses to guide you in your emotional growth journey. She opens up about overcoming opioid addict…
#800 - Best Of - A Day Of You The Listener [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:23
Originally aired in 2012, this was the first ever “all listener” show. Paul reads their emails, surveys and more, all filled out within a 24 hour period to give the audience a sense of what a given day in our community’s…
#799 Best Of - Bipolar Psychosis & Support - Haydn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:08:23
Originally aired in 2015, in this “Best Of” episode the 27 year-old Colombian native shares about his recent hospitalization for Bipolar I psychosis. His girlfriend Rama (who was on the following week) sits in to share w…
#798 - Foster Care, Death & The Navy - Forrest Lang [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:57
Forrest Lang is an author and CSA (child sex abuse) advocate. He shares the story of his own childhood abuse, growing up in the foster care system, the death of his best friend, and how the Navy saved him. Look for his m…
#797 Brianne Davis Helps A Struggling Paul [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:38
Paul’s trusted support group friend Brianne Davis comes to lend him emotional support around his current mental/emotional struggles and to talk about her own experience with the challenge of mean self-talk and working to…
#796 A Deep Dark Dive with Jenny Lawson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:51:22
The brilliantly dark, funny and sensitive 5x NY Times bestselling author and blogger(@TheBloggess) drops by for a mammoth and deep episode about her struggles with imposter syndrome, trichotillomania, dermatillomania, an…
#795 Taking Off The Mask - A Best Of Ep w/Laurenne Sala [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:54:29
A Best Of ep originally aired in 2014. What happens when the Homecoming Queen takes off her popularity mask and deals with the pain of her co-dependent mom and the suicide of her gay father? The critically acclaimed auth…
#794 Best Of: Maria Bamford & The Psych Ward [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:53:02
In this listener-favorite ep from 2013, the groundbreaking and critically acclaimed comedian talks about her lifelong battles with OCD, Unwanted Thoughts Syndrome, BiPolar II, and the recent hospitalization that probably…